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SERMON 

DELIVERED  OX  THE  8th  SEPTEMBER,  A  DAY 
RECOMMENDED   BY 

THE  GEXERAL-JSSEMBLY 

OF  THE 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

INT  THE 

UNITED  STATES, 

TO  BE  SET  APART 

FOR 

fasting,  if umiliatiou  anii  draper, 

BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  E.  LATTA. 

PUBLISHED  BT  REQUEST. 


WILMINGTON : 
Printed  by  Peter  Brynberg 1808. 


%£*»TtiE  JufHOR  of  this  Discourse  had  not  the  least  tho*t 
tf  the  Press  when  he  composed  it :  He  wrote  it  in  great  haste, 
in  the  midst  of  numerous  avocations.  Depending,  however, 
more  upon  the  opinions  of  others,  than  his  own,  he  consented 
that  it  should  go  to  the  Public  thro'  the  medium  of  the  Press. 


SERMON,  &c. 


LAM.  iii.  40 42. 

"  Le¥  us  search  and  try  our  ivays^'d'  turn  again  to  the  Lord. 
"  Let  us  lift  ufi  our  heart  ivith  our  hands  unto  God  in  the 
"  Heavens.  We  have  transgressed  and  rebelled :  thou 
"  hast  not  pardoned  " 

Nations  as  well  as  individuals  are  the  objects  of 
Divine  Providence.  It  is  therefore  the  duty  of  the  for- 
mer as  well  as  the  latter  to  search  and  try  their  ways.  Poli- 
tical combinations,  not  existing,  as  such,  in  the  future  world, 
can  be  rewarded  or  punished  only  in  this  world.  Accord- 
ing then  as  the  prevailing  and  general  character  of  nations 
is,  they  have  reason  to  expect  Divine  favor  or  judgment. 
This  may  be  evinced  both  by  the  knowledge  which  we 
have  of  Divine  justice,  and  also  from  the  history  of  nations. 
The  Lord  reigneth  king  over  all  the  earth.  "  Shall  not  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right."  The  history  of  the  Jews 
peculiarly  illustrates  this  truth.  Whenever  they  in  gener- 
al, worshipped  God,  and  observed  his  ordinances,  he  gave 
them  victory  over  their  enemies,  caused  them  to  dwell  in 
peace,  and  made  them  a  prosperous  and  happy  nation. 
But  when  they  and  their  rulers  neglected  his  ordinances, 
became  irreligious  or  worshippers  of  idols,  God  brought  his 
judgments  upon  them,  either  by  pestilence  or  famine,  or 
by  giving  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  or  by  some 
other  severe  affliction.     The  prophet  in  this  book  in  the 


•most  pathetic  strains  laments  the  distressed  situation  of  the 
Jews,  and  exhorts  them  "  to  search  and  try  their  ways ;"  to 
examine  and  ascertain  in  what  respects,  they,  as  a  nation, 
had  offended  God,  and  provoked  him  to  bring  upon  them 
such  severe  Judgments.  And  he  farther  exhorts  them, 
after  they  had  ascertained  their  Sins,  to  forsake  them  and 
turn  again  to  the  Lord.  This  he  considered  as  the  only  way, 
by  which  they  wei*e  to  expect  a  removal  of  their  calamities. 
He  next  describes  to  them  the  manner,  in  which  they 
should  turn  to  the  Lord,  "Let  vs,  saith  he,  lift  up  our  heart 
with  our  hands  unto  God  in  the  heavens,  and  confess,  say- 
ing, we  have  transgressed  and  rebelled :  thou  hast  not  par- 
doned." By  these  last  words  "thou  has  not  pardoned/'  the 
Prophet  meant,  that  the  Judgment  still  continued  ;  for  if 
God  had  pardoned,  it  would  have  been  removed  j  and  this 
was  a  proof,  that  they  had  not  repented. 

No  sooner  do  a  people  repent  sincerely,  than  God, 
who  is  still  waiting  to  be  gracious,  pardons  and  blesses 
them.  By  the  expression"  we  have  transgressed  and  rebel-* 
led,"  we  may  understand  not  only  a  confession,  but  also  a 
declaration,  that  their  transgressions  were  the  cause  of  the 
divine  judgments.  Where  there  is  no  transgression,  there 
is  no  guilt,  and  where  there  is  no  guilt,  a  just  God  will  not 
punish. 

The  same  God  rules  over  the  nations  now,  who  did  in 
the  days  of  the  Prophet.  The  same  causes  too  still  pro- 
duce the  same  effects ;  and  similar  effects  may  be  still  tra- 
ced to  similar  causes.  Do  we  then  as  a  nation  either  at 
present  experience  the  frowns  of  heaven,  or  are  we  threat- 
ened with  approaching  calamities  ?  it  is  because  we  have 
transgressed,  and  our  national  guilt  has  gone  up  before  God 


Was  it  the  duty  of  the  Jews  in  a  similar  situation,  to  search 
and  try  their  ways  and  turn  unto  God  ?  it  must  also  be  our 
duty.  And  was  there  nothing  but  repentance  and  turning 
unto  God,  that  would  deliver  them  from  the  evils  already- 
inflicted,  or  avert  those  which  were  threatened  ;  so  nothing 
but  the  same  can  save  us. 

Our  text  then  calls  upon  us, 

I.  To  examine  ourselves  as  a  nation,  that  we  may  ascer- 
tain our  national  guilt.    And, 

II.  To  repent  and  turn  to  God,  as  the  only  way  by  which 
we  are  to  expect  deliverance  from  calamities,  whether  they 
be  present,  or  only  threatened  and  yet  to  come. 

I.  Then  we  are  exhorted  to  examine  into  our  national 
guilt. 

And  here  it  is  necessary  to  the  due  measurement  of 
our  guilt,  that  we  enquire  into  our  privileges  as  a  nation. 
(i  Where  much  is  given,  much  also  shall  be  required,"  ap- 
plies to  nations  as  well  as  individuals.  The  privileges  of 
the  Jews,  being  peculiar  but  much  abused,  greatly  enhans- 
ed  their  guilt.  Had  they  not  been  the  chosen  people  of 
God,  their  crimes  had  not  risen  to  heaven,  so  deeply  dyed 
with  a  crimson  color  and  scarlet  hue. 

The  histories  of  no  two  nations,  perhaps,  ever  coinci- 
ed  in  more  particulars,  as  to  their  privileges  and  blessings, 
than  that  of  the  Jews,  and  that  of  the  people  of  these  United 
States.  The  Jews  were  delivered  by  a  train  of  miiacJes 
from  the  severe  bondage  of  Egypt :  By  bread  from  Hea- 
ven they  were  supported  in  their  passage  thro'  the  wilder- 
ness :  By  the  outstretched  arm  of  Omnipotence  the  Hea- 
then were  driven  out  before  them,  and  tney  were  settled 
a2 


in  the  delightful  country  of  Canaan,  dwelled  in  peace  and 
became  a  great,  rich  and  respectable  nation. 

Our  forefathers  fled  to  this  country  to  escape  civil  and 
religious  persecution.  When  they  arrived  here,  they 
had  to  settle  in  the  midst  of  the  ravenous  beasts  of  the  for- 
est, and  the  savage  tribes  of  the  wilderness,  and  in  a  land 
entirely  uncultivated,  and  totally  destitute  of  provisions  for 
civilized  life.  Were  not  their  preservation  and  support 
then  next  to  miraculous  ?  Certainly  that  hand,  which  drove 
out  the  Canaanites  before  the  children  of  Israel  must  have 
driven  away  the  savage  tribes  of  America,  before  the  small 
number  of  our  primogenitors,  who  first  arrived  on  these 
shores  ;  and  tiiey  must  have  been  supported  and  fed  by  the 
samepowei,  which  rained  down  bread  from  heaven  for  Is- 
rael in  the  wilderness.  Through  divine  protection,  gui- 
dance and  support  then,  our  fathers  were  preserved,  great- 
ly increased  and  prospered.  Before  them,  thus  aided,  the 
wilderness  was  made  glad,  the  desert  blossomed  as  the 
rose  and  abundantly  rejoiced. 

Their  sun-shine  of  prosperity  increasing  was  reflected 
across  the  Atlantic,  and  was  caught  by  the  eagle-eye  of 
jealousy  and  envy,  and  the  iron  rod  of  oppression  was 
stretched  out  to  retard  their  progress.  A  European  Pha- 
raoh saw,  that  the  people  of  this  land  were  greatly  multipli- 
ed, and  were  becoming  rich,  and  his  jealousy  was  inflam- 
ed. We  were  still  comparitively  weak  and  defenceless. 
Numerous  and  powerful  armies,  confident  of  success,  in- 
vaded us  ;  but  the  same  God,  who  before  had  protected 
our  fathers  from  the  heathen,  now  stretched  out  his  arm 
for  our  defence.  An  American  Joshua  was  raised  up,  and 
the  God  mighty  in  battles  fought  for  us.    Never  scarcely 


were  the  favor  and  assistance  of  Providence  more  conspicu- 
ously evinced,  than  in  the  late  emancipation  of  the  United 
States  from  European  thraldom.  Our  illustrious  Wash- 
ington, the  Joshua  of  America,  was  frequently  almost  for- 
saken, and  the  enemy  appeared  triumphant  :  But  he  prayed 
to  his  God,*  and  multitudes  nocked  to  his  standard,  and,  to 
the  astonishment  of  the  world,  we  defeated  the  most  pow- 
erful nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  became  a  free  and 
independent  peopie.  The  olive  branch  of  peace  waved 
itself  over  our  land,  and  ever  since  we  have  been,  till  very 
lately,  increasing  in  strength,  prosperity,  opulence  and  re- 
spectability :  Several  occasional  clouds,  it  is  true,  have  in 
the  mean  time  collected  in  our  own  hemisphere,  and  for  a 
while  threatened  to  disturb  us,  but  as  it  were  by  a  ray  of 
light  from  heaven,  they  were  soon  dispersed.  And  if  at 
this  present  period  our  prospects  are  gloomy,  and  God  ap- 
pears about  to  withdraw  his  former  protection,  it  is  because 
we  have  abused  our  priviliges ;  and  because  our  national 
sins  have  ascended  to  heaven, 

But,  that  we  may  still  father  "search  our  ways,"  and 
ascertain  our  peculiar  privileges,  and  consequently  our 
guilt,  it  is  necessary  that  we  contrast  our  situation  with 
that  of  other  ages,  nations  and  countries.  This  we  shall  do 
by  taking  a  view  of  our  natural,  civil  and  religious  advan- 
tages. 

1st.  We  shall  speak  of  our  natural  advantages.  Be- 
ing happily  removed  from  the  polar  and  equatorial  regions, 
we  experience  neither  the  frozen  cold  of  the  frigid,  nor  the 
burning  heat  of  the  torrid  zone.  We  enjoy  a  climate  a- 
greeably  temperate  and  mild.  In  this  happy  clime  the 
scorching  wind  never  blows,  carrying  with  it  disease   and 


death.  Heve  clouds  of  sand  have  never  buried  whole  cara- 
vans. In  our  forests  the  fierce  tyger,  the  destructive  lion 
never  prowl  ;  neither  are  our  woods  infested  with  the  sting- 
ing adder,  nor  the  gigantic  serpent.  Our  waters  are  not 
filled,  nor  their  banks  covered  with  the  morbiferous  croco- 
dile. Here  armies  of  locusts  never  invade  us,  destroying 
every  species  of  food  for  man  and  beast.  Our  soil  and  cli- 
mate, happily  calculated  to  produce  every  kind  of  grain, 
thro'  the  goodness  of  God,  pale  and  ghastly  famine  have 
never  visited  us.  If  one  crop  fails,  another  succeeds,  and 
therefore  our  land  has  always  been  filled  with  abundance. 
Rivulets  of  water  too  flow  every  where  for  our  refreshment. 
In  this  happy  country  the  plague  has  never  ravaged,  slaying 
its  thousands ;  the  burning  mountain  has  never  sent  forth 
its  streams  of  fire,  destroying  whole  neighborhoods  :  Nei- 
ther hath  the  earth  opened  her  tremendous  jaws,  and  de- 
voured whole  towns  and  cities  !  These  evils  have  been  often 
experienced  in  many  other  countries.  Hence  it  is  evident 
that  our  natural  advantages,  compared  with  other  countries 
are  great — u  Where  much  is  given,  much  also  will  be  re- 
quired.'* 

2ndly.  We  shall  speak  of  our  civil  privileges.  r 
In  this  nation  no  absolute  monarch  sways  his  sceptre  ; 
no  tyrannical  despot,  whose  will  is  the  law  of  the  land,  here 
breathes  his  noxious  breath — here  we  have  none  of  the  un- 
meaning distinctions  of  noble  and  ignoble  born  ;  none,  who 
are  lords  over  the  lives  and  properties  of  the  citizens.  In 
this  happy  land  none  are  enchained  in  bastiles ;  none  im- 
mured in  dungeons,  for  asserting  the  rights  of  man!  Here 
no  scaffold  has  been  stained  with  blood ;  no  guillotine  has. 
expanded  its  voracious  jaws  !  From  our  fortunate  clime 


none  have  been  driven  into  exile  !  Our  land  has  never  been 

watered  with  the  tears  of  a  loving  wife  ;  our  hills  oi  vales 
have  never  echoed  with  the  doleful  shrieks  and  cries  of  af- 
fectionate childrerf,  bedatose  a  fond  husband  or  an  indulgent 
father  was  torn  from  them,  and  driven  into  banishment ! — 
Here  every  man  is  born  free,  lias  an  equal  chance  for  pro- 
motion, and  enjoys  uninterrupted  every  species  of  civil  and 
rational  liberty.  Exactly  the  reverse  of  these  blessings  has 
been  and  still  is  experienced  by  many  nations — Are  we  not 
then  a  highly  favored  people  ! 

Sdly.  We  shall  contrast  our  spiritual  and  religious 
privileges  with  those  of  other  nations  : 

In  the  greater  part  of  the  world  Paganism  with  all  its 
ignorance  and  idolatry  prevails  :  in  a  very  considerable  part 
Mahometanism  with  all  its  delusion  and  cruelty ;  and  in 
some,  persecution  and  superstition  in  their  various  haggard 
forms  reign  triumphant.  In  casting  my  eye  over  the  world 
I  see  in  some  places  thousands  of  the  human  race  bowing 
down  to  stocks  and  stones,  cutting  themselves  with  knives, 
spears  or  lancets,  or  performing  painful  pilgrimages  over 
rugged  rocks  and  craggy  mountains  on  their  bare  feet  or 
naked  knees,  or  with  shoes  pierced  thro5  with  sharp  nails. 
Their  path  as  they  go  is  crimsoned  with  their  blood — thro' 
fatigue,  pain  and  loss  of  blood  they  faint  and  fall — a  little  re- 
cruited, they  again  struggle  up  and  pursue  the  same  jour- 
ney of  torture  and  pain.  This  they  persevere  to  do,  at  the 
risque  cf  their  lives  ;  for  if  they  fail,  they  expect  no  pardon 
for  their  sins  !  The  God  too,  whom  they  suppose  they  have 
offended,  is  nothing  but  an  imaginary  deity.  Poor  deluded 
mortals  ! — Who  would  not  drop  a  tear  over  their  delusion; 

In  other  countries  I  see  crouds  pressing  to  the  over* 


10 

whelming  flood,  or  the  burning  altar,  to  plunge  themselves 
or  their  children,  into  the  waters  or  the  flames.  I  see  and 
hear  the  tender  infant  expiring  in  shrieks,  and  screams,  and 
blood  !  Here  the  parent  offers  up  his  body,  or  "  the  fruit 
of  his  bodv  for  the  sin  of  his  soul."  From  this  melancholy 
scene  I  turn  my  eyes,  and  behold  numbers  running  to  throw 
themselves  under  the  chariots  of  their  Gods ;  and  others 
flying  to  the  wilderness  never  to  return,  there  to  endure 
hunger  and  every  dire  distress.  But  what  is  this  I  see  ! — 
A  funeral  pile,  the  fuel  ready,  and  the  fire  kindled  :  for 
what  purpose  prepared  r  An  affectionate  husband  is  dead, 
and  the  loving  wife  is  coming  to  offer  herself  a  sacrifice  to 
his  regardless  ghost  !— the  pile  she  ascends,  and  in  the 
flames  she  expires.  Oh  the  doleful  effects  of  heathenish 
ignorance  and  idolatry  i  Where  tkey  reign,  there  is  truly 
u  the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death." 

These  are  all  voluntary  victims.  Would  to  God,  that 
the"  melancholy  scene  here  closed  :  But  it  is  not  so.  In- 
fatuated superstition  and  bloody  persecution  present  scenes, 
if  possible,  much  more  dreadful.  To  unfold  these  we  must 
bring  to  your  view  all  the  instruments  of  tortures,  and  forms 
of  death,  which  the  savage  mind  of  man  or  the  genius 
of  Devils  thirsting  for  blood,  could  invent.  We  must  shew 
you  men  and  women  sawn  asunder,  rolled  in  casks  lined 
with  the  points  of  sharp  iron  spikes — clothed  in  skins  and 
devoured  by  wild  beasts — scalded  to  death  by  burning  wine 
poured  into  them — expiring  on  the  gibbet,  on  the  rack  and 
at  the  stake,  and  in  a  thousand  other  forms  tco  tedious  and 
too  shocking  to  mention  ! 

I  shall  detain  you  to  particularize  only  one  species  of 
persecution,  and  which  yet  prevails  in  some  part  of  Europe, 


11 

if  not  very  lately  abolished,  I  mean  the  bloody  Inquisition. 
A  court  is  established,  which  is  called  the  court  of  Inquisi- 
tors. "  This  diabolical  tribunal,"  saith  a  certain  author, 
"takes  cognizance  of  heresy,  Judaism,  mahometanism,  sod- 
omy and  poligamy ;  and  the  people  stand  in  so  much  fear 
of  it,  that  parents  deliver  up  their  children,  husbands  their 
wives,  and  masters  their  servants  to  its  officers,  without  daring 
in  the  least  to  murmur." 

Nothing  more  is  necessary  than  a  bare  suspicion  of  a 
person's  guilt,  and  he  is  immediately  dragged  off  and  im- 
mured in  a  dreary  prison.     As  soon  as  this  happens  his 
friends  go  into  mourning  and  speak  of  him  as  dead.     They 
dare  not  solicit  his  pardon,  lest  they  should  be  seized  as  ac- 
complices.    After  he  has  been  imprisoned  for  a  considera- 
ble time  he  is  brought  forth  and  called  upon  to  confess   his 
crime,  without  even  being  charged  with  any,  or  knowing 
for  what  he  has  been  confined.     If  he  do  not  confess,  he  is 
put  upon  the  rack  and  tortured,  till  perhaps  a  number  of 
his  joints  are  dislocated.     Thus  he  is  alternately  imprison- 
ed and  tortured,  and  if  at  length,  he  do  not  confess,  and 
there  is  not  a  shadow  of  proof  against  him,  he  is  discharged, 
but  not  without  the  loss  of  a  principal  part  of  his  property, 
in  addition  to  his  great  torture  and  long  imprisonment. 
But  if  the  persons  thus  tried  are  in  any  way  convicted,  as 
soon  as  it  is  thought  there  is  a  sufficient  number,  they  are 
brought  forth  in  great  solemnity  and  pomp  for  execution. 
There  are  as  many  stakes  prepared,  as  there  are  criminals : 
Each  stake  is  about  12  feet  high.     Near  the  top  there  is  a 
board  fixed  on  which  the  unfortunate  victim  is  seated.    Up- 
on this  a  great  shout  is  raised ;  and  the  cry  is,  "  Let  the  dogs 
beards  be  made  1"  This  is  done  by  thrusting  flaming  torches, 


fastened  to  long  poles,  against  their  faces,  till  they  are 
burnt  to  a  coal ;  and  this  is  accompanied  by  the  loudest  accla- 
mations of  joy.  At  last  fire  is  set  to  the  fuel  underneath  the 
criminal ;  but  he  is  chained  so  high,  that  the  flame  scarcely 
ever  reaches  him.  He  is  therefore  rather  roasted  than 
burned.  This  is  beheld  by  all  ages  and  sexes,  with  trans- 
ports of  joy  and  satisfaction.  There  cannot  be  a  more  la- 
mentable spectacle.  The  poor  sufferers  are  continually  as 
long  as  they  are  able  crying  out,  pity  for  the  love  of  God  I 
pity  for  the  love  of  God  1" 

Let  us  now  call  our  eyes  home  ;  and  let  us  with  rap- 
ture and  gratitude  survey  the  beautiful  picture,  compared 
with  this,  which  our  own  country  exhibits.  From  our 
happy  land,  "  the  darkness,  that  covered  the  earth,  and  the 
gross  darkness,  which  overwhelmed  the  people,"  hath  fled 
away  beyond,  far  beyond  the  cloud  capp'd  mountain :  and 
the  sun  of  righteousness,  the  light  of  the  gospel  shines  with 
meridian  and  uneclipsed  splendor.  Here  no  altars  burn 
to  idols ;  no  temples  are  erected  to  demons.  Here  the 
hearts  of  mothers  are  not  pierced,  nor  their  nerves  convul- 
sed with  the  cries  of  their  children,  expiring  in  flames,  as 
offerings  to  dumb  Idols.  In  this  happy  country  we  lie  down 
and  rise  up  without  the  fearful  apprehensions  of  the  bloody 
inquisition.  Here  the  sword  of  persecution  is  sheathed, 
the  flames  of  martyrdom  are  extinguished,  and  every  per- 
son, unmolested,  may  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates 
of  his  own  conscience. 

It  is  evident  then,  thjftt  we  enjoy  great  spiritual  and  reli- 
gious privilege-  We  must  not  however  forget  to  notice 
the  peculiar  blessing  >f  peace,  which  is  vouchsafed  to  us, 
at  this  time,  whilst  many  nations  are  harrassed  with  war  in 


13 

all  its  ghastly  terrors.  In  Europe  we  may  see  armies,  in  num- 
bers equal  to  locusts;  but  in  destruction  infinitely  worse,  enter- 
ing flourishing  and  populous  countries,  richly  stored  with 
wealth  collected  by  many  years  careful  industry.  Terror,  dis- 
may and  wild  consternation  go  before  them ; —devastation  and 
violence,  carnage  and  death  accompany  them  ; — pain,  ditress 
and  famine,  pale  and  direful,  follow  them.  I  see  the  signal  for 
battle  given.  I  hear  the  terrific  and  thundering  sound  of  the 
instruments  of  distraction.  I  see  death  raging  in  all  its  fright- 
ful forms.  I  see  the  plains  deluged  with  blood,  and  filled  with 
carnage.  I  hear  the  mountains  re-echo  the  shrieks,  the  sighs 
and  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  the  dying.  If,  however, 
the  evils  of  war  were  confined  to  the  field  of  battle,  they  wou'd 
be  comparatively  small ;  but  they  spread  themselves  through- 
out the  whole  land.  The  doleful  tidings  fly  in  every  direc- 
tion. A  father,  a  son,  or  a  husband  has  fallen  !  A  sight  then 
still  more  dreadful,  if  possible,  presents  itself.— In  one  place 
I  see  a  group  of  fatherless  children,  bathed  in  tears,  in  a  se- 
cond I  see  a  distracted  mother  ;  and  in  a  third  place  a  widow 
overwhelmed  with  woe.  She  refuses  to  be  comforted  for 
the  beloved  husband  of  her  youth  is  dead.  The  streams  of 
tears,  which  now  flow,  mingle  with  the  streams  of  blood 
which  were  previously  flowing:  and  the  bitter  cries  of 
the  living  are  united  with  the  groans  of  the  dying.  Behold 
then  a  dreadful  spectacle  1  the  whole  land  is  a  land  of  weeping 
of  sorrow  Sc  of  carnage.  Hark  the  whole  country  resounds  no- 
thing, but  the  bitterest  accents  of  mingled  pain,  woe  and  an- 
guish unutterable  and  full  of  horror.  Great  indeed  then  is  the 
contrast  between  our  situation,  and  that  of  Europe.  There 
you  see  every  where  the  bloody  flag  of  war  ;  but  in  America 
you  see  every  where  the  olive  branch  of  peace.    Whilst  they 

B 


u 

are  convulsed  with  terror,  we  recline  in  safety.  Whilst 
they  experience  and  are  shocked  with  the  doleful  cries  of 
sorrow  ;  we  are  enraptured  with  the  sweet  accents  of  joy. 
Hence  it  is  evident,  that  our  blessings  of  every  descrip- 
tion have  been  peculiarly  great.  "  God  has  not,"  for  many 
ages  "  dealt  so  with  any  other,  as  he  has  with  this  nation." 
Certainly  then  we  are  bound  by  every  tie  to  acknowledge 
his  great  goodness,  to  be  exceedingly  grateful,  to  be  very 
zealous  for  his  honor  and  glory,  and  to  be  peculiarly  devo- 
ted to  his  service. 

Let  us  then  search  and  try  our  ways,  that  we  may  as- 
certain, whether  we  have  suitably  appreciated,  and  impro- 
ved our  unexampled  privileges  and  blessings.  We  have 
long  been  a  happy  ;  are  we  a  holy  nation  ?  Are  we  as  fa- 
mous for  our  gratitude  and  devotion  to  God,  as  we  are  for 
the  favors,  which  we  have  received  at  his  hand.  Does 
"  righteousness  run  down  our  streets  like  a  stream  and  judg- 
ment like  mighty  waters."  If  this  is  our  character,  our  bless- 
ings shall  be  continued.  That  God,  who  hath  hitherto  pro- 
tected us  will  still  continue  to  sway  the  sceptre  of  our  Nati- 
on, defending  us  from  external  violence,  and  preserving  in- 
ternal harmony,  peace  and  prosperity. 

But  have  we  not  reason  to  fear,  that  the  reverse  of 
this  picture  is  true  ?  In  but  few  instances  do  wTe  recognize 
the  Author  of  our  numerous  and  peculiar  blessings  ;  and  in- 
stead of  ascribing  all  the  glory  to  him,  we  arrogate  the  praise 
to  ourselves.  The  charges,  that  were  brought  against  Is- 
rael may  be  justly  brought  against  us.  The  Lord  said  of 
them,  "that  they  did  not  know,  that  he  gave  them  their 
corn,  and  wine  and  oil,  and  multiplied  their  silver  and  gold, 
which  they  prepared  for  Baal,  and  of  their  silver  and  their 


15 

gold  they  have  made  them  Idols.  Jeshurun  hath  waxed 
fat  and  kicked  ;  then  he  forsook  God,  who  made  him  and 
lightly  esteemed  the  Rock  of  his  salvation.  Of  the  Rock,  that 
begot  thee,  thou  art  unmindful,  and  hast  forgotten  God,  that 
formed  thee." 

Have  not  we  too  multiplied  our  idols  in  proportion  to 
the  increase  of  our  gold  and  silver  ?  Have  we  not  increased 
in  luxury,  extravagance,  vice  of  every  description  ;  in  impie- 
ty, irreligion  and  ingratitude  to  God,  as  rapidly,  as  we  have 
grown  in  wealth,  influence  and  respectability.  Are  not  the 
barriers  against  vice  laid  prostrate,its  flood  gates  thrown  wide 
open,  and  does  it  not,  like  a  mighty  torrent  sweep  thro'  our 
land  ?  Do  not  profaneness,  debauchery,  sabbath -breaking 
and  a  neglect  of  God's  ordinances  greatly  abound.  Must 
not  rulers  and  people  smite  upon  their  breasts,  and  with  one 
voice  exclaim,  guilty,  guilty,  exceedingly  guilty  ! ! !  Let  us 
now  measure  our  guilt  by  the  standard  of  our  peculiar  pri- 
vileges, before  described,  but  which  we  have  shamefully, 
and  ungratefully  abused. — How  tall  it  rises  !  It  reaches  even 
to  the  Heavens.  How  ungrateful,  ungenerous  and  base  is 
it,  to  make  the  very  blessings,  which  God  hath  given  us,  the 
instruments  of  rebellion  against  him  ! 

We  may  however  ascertain,  that  we  are  guilty,  not  on- 
ly from  an  examination  into  our  crimes,  which  are  the  cause; 
but  also  by  viewing  calamities  impending  and  threatened, 
which  are  the  effect.  Do  we  as  a  nation  experience  ca- 
lamities at  present,  or  do  we  fear  greater  yet  to  come  ?  it 
is  because  we  are  guilty.  A  just  God  will  by  no  means, 
punish  nations  or  individuals  who  are  not  guilty.  Still,  tho' 
we  do  experience  afRictions,  we  have  great  reason  to  be 
thankful,  that  they  are  so  gentle  and  light.     They  are  much 


If 

fewer  and  milder,  than  our  iniquities  deserve  ;  and  than 
those,  which  are  now  experienced  by  other  nations.  The 
cloud,  which  at  present  impends  our  country,  is  but  as  the 
palm  of  a  man's  hand,  compared  to  those,  which  impend 
and  are  now  pouring  their  tremendous  contents  upon  Eu- 
rope. Here  our  hearts  are  not  pierced  with  the  cries  of  our 
children  for  bread,  whilst  there  is  no  bread  to  give  them  ! 
Here  our  hills  do  not  ring  with  the  horrid  din  of  war,  neither 
do  our  plains  or  streets  flow  with  streams  of  human  blood. 
What,  suppose  you,  is  the  present  state  of  Spain  !  wrapped 
in  the  tremendous  and  united  clouds  of  domestic  and  fo- 
reign war,  in  all  its  haggard  forms  !  Property  and  life  are 
every  where  sacrificed — brother  dies  by  the  hand  of  brother; 
and  the  son  thrusts  the  murderous  dagger  into  the  breast  of 
his  own  father  ! — Death  in  all  its  varied  forms  every  where 
rages ;  and  men,  women  and  children  lie  dead  in  promiscu- 
ous heaps  !  Consternation  wild  is  painted  in  every  face,  and 
terror  dreadful  convulses  every  heart  ! 

How  comparatively  happy  then  are  we  !  Yet  great  are 
our  murmurings,  and  numerous  are  our  complaints  :  Some 
say  our  situation  could  scarce  be  worse  ;  war  would  be  bet- 
ter than  our  present  condition.  We  admit  that  the  condi- 
tion of  some  of  our  citizens  and  valuable  citizens  too,  is  tru- 
ly distressing;  and  with  them  we  sincerely  sympathize,  and 
deeply  lament  that  some  provision  was  not  made  for  those, 
who,  by  our  present  state,  are  thrown  out  of  business,  and 
in  a  measure  deprived  of  support  for  themselves  and  their 
families.  Yet,  tho'  some  of  the  members  suffer,  the  great 
body  of  our  country  enjoys  sufficient  support :  Bread,  the 
staff  of  life,  and  provisions  of  every  description  abound. 
Must  not  our  unreasonable  murmurings  k  complaints  them 


17 

about  our  small  calamities,  whilst  we  forget,  and  are  un- 
thankful for  our  great  blessings,  exceedingly  augment  our 
guilt  ?  If  we  thus  murmur  when  only  the  finger  of  God's 
chastisement  is  laid  gently  upon  us ;  have  Ave  not  great  rea- 
son to  fear  that  he  will  lift  against  us  his  whole  hand,  and 
chastise  us  according  to  our  accumulated  guilt  ? 

Other  persons  are  for  throwing  the  blame  off  the  nati- 
on at  large,  and  for  attaching  it  elsewhere  :  Some  attaching 
it  to  one  source,  and  others  to  another.     Some  say  the  fault 
is  all  in  our  rulers  ;  that  they  are  unwise,  corrupt,  or  pusilla- 
nimous— If  they  were  not  so,  they  suppose  these  difficulties 
would  not  have  befallen  us.     We  shall  admit,  for  sake  of 
argument,  that  the  conduct  of  our  rulers  is  the  proximate 
cause ;  but  still  it  is  evident  that  our  guilt  is  the  remote 
cause.     This  may  be  proved  by  the  history  of  the  Jews — 
When  they  became  a  sinful  8c  idolatrous  nation,  God  threa- 
tened that  he  would  punish  them  in  their  rulers  :  This  is 
God's  delaration  to  them  by  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  "  Behold 
the  Lord,  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  doth  take  away  from  Jerusa- 
lem, and  from  Judah  the  mighty  men  and  the  men  of  war, 
the  Judge  and  the  Prophet,  and  the  prudent  and  the  ancient, 
the  captains  of  fifty  and  the  honorable  men,  and  the  coun- 
sellor, and  the  cunning  artificer  and  the  eloquent  orator. 
And  I  will  give  children  to  be  their  princes,  and  babes  shall 
rule  over  them."     Did  their  sins  bring  these  evils  upon  the 
Jews  ;   8c  suppose  it  to  be  the  fact,  that  our  distress  has  come 
upon  us,  thro'  the  weakness  or  misconduct  of  our  rulers, 
should  we  not  conclude,  that  our  sins  have  provoked  God  to 
give  us,  or  rather  to  permit  us  to  have  such  men  to  manage 
the  affairs  of  our  nation. 

Other  persons  sav,  that  our  present  situation  arises 
'    B2 


I* 


from  a  peculiar  conjuncture  of  affairs  in  Europe.  Admit 
this  to  be  the  fact,  still  we  must  trace  the  matter  to  the  same 
causes.  God  has  the  hearts  of  all  men,  kings  and  empe- 
rors,  as  well  as  others  in  his  hands,  and  as  the  rivers  of  wa- 
ters are  turned,  so  can  he  turn  them.  Would  he  then  per- 
mit the  princes  of  the  earth  to  pass  and  execute  such  de- 
crees as  would  distress  us,  if  we  were  not  a  sinful  people  ? 
Hence  it  is  evident,  whatever  be  the  second  or  immediate 
causes  of  our  present  or  our  contemplated  situation,  we  must 
plead  guilty.  Since  then  we  are  guilty,  there  is  no  way  by 
which  we  are  to  expect  safety  and  peace,  but  by  repentance 
and  reformation.-— This  naturally  leads  me  to  the 

Second  head— to  shew,  that  "  to  repent  and  turn  unto 
God,"  is  the  only  way  by  which  we  are  to  expect  that  cala- 
mities, either  experienced  or  threatened,  shall  be  averted. 

To  prove  this,  we  need  add  but  a  few  words — "  Ex- 
cept ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish,5'  may  be  appli- 
ed to  nations  as  well  as  individuals.  This  was  God's  uni- 
form language  to  the  Jews,  and  according  to  their  penitence 
or  impenitence  he  still  dealt  with  them.  Whenever  the 
children  of  Israel  repented  and  turned  unto  the  Lord,  he 
returned  unto  them,  and  delivered  them  from  their  various 
calamities  ;  he  saved  them  from  their  numerous  enemies. 
The  God  mighty  in  battles,  fought  for  them ;  and  one  man 
chased  a  thousand.  Did  the  king  of  Nineveh  proclaim  a 
fast ;  and  did  the  inhabitants  repent  in  sackcloth  and  ashes  ? 
and  did  not  God  withhold  for  a  season  the  threatened  judg- 
ments ?  The  same  God  rules  over  us,  and  no  doubt,  will 
deal  with  us  in  the  same  manner.  Our  text  therefore  ex- 
horts us,  to  turn  again  to  the  Lord,  and  to  lift  u/i  our  heart 
with  our  'winds  unto  God  in  the  heavens. 


19 

It  might  perhaps  be  proper  for  us  here  to  explain  the  na- 
ture of  that  repentance,  in  consequence  of  which,  God  par- 
dons the  sins  of  nations,  and  turns  away  from  them  his  judg- 
ments. The  subject  however,  not  being  properly  before 
us,  since  our  text  is  rather  exhortatory  than  doctrinal,  we 
shall  make  only  an  observation  or  two  upon  it :  we  observe 
then,  that  the  repentance  required  of  nations  is  the  same  in 
nature  with  that  required  of  individuals  in  common,  except, 
that  it  requires  them  to  recognize  in  particular,  their  bless- 
ings as  a  nation  j  and  the  guilt,  of  whatever  kind  it  be,  which 
they  have  incurred  in  consequence  of  their  abuse  of  these ; 
and  that  agreeably  to  this  recognition  they  repent  of  their 
national  sins.  It  is  necessary  too,  that  each  person  recog- 
nize his  peculiar  station,  and  accordingly  repent.  The  ru- 
lers should  repent  of  the  sins  which  they  have  committed 
in  their  official  capacity, as  well  as  those  which  are  personal; 
and  the  citizen  should  repent  of  the  sins,  of  which  he  as 
such,  is  guilty.  Let  every  man  sweep  clean  before  his  own 
door,  and  the  whole  street  will  be  clean  ;  let  every  indivi- 
dual repent  and  turn  from  his  evil  ways  according  to  his  sta- 
tion and  the  whole  land  will  be  pure.  Agreeably  to  our 
text  too,  we  would  observe,  that  national  as  well  as  perso- 
nal repentance  must  have  its  seat  in  the  heart.  Let  us  lift 
up  our  hearts  unto  God.  This  is  still  farther  confirmed  by 
the  exhortation  of  the  Prophet  Joel—"  Rend  your  heart  and 
not  your  garments,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God." 

We  shall  now  enforce  the  exhortation  to  repentance, 
by  the  following  arguments  : — 

1st.  If  we  repent  God  will  remove  our  calamities ;  will 
bless  us  and  make  us  a  happy  nation.  He  has  promised  & 
will  perform  it.     If  God  be  for  us,  nothing  can  be  against 


20 

us — Famine  shall  not  distress  us  ;  the  pestilence  shall 
not  walk  in  darkness  amongst  us,  nor  waste  at  noon-day  ; 
neither  shall  the  sword  be  permitted  to  shed  the  blood  of  our 
citizens.  These  are  generally  the  means  by  which  God 
punishes  wicked  and  impenitent  nations — "  Blessed  is  that 
people  whose  God  is  the  Lord."  Let  us  then  "  turn  again 
to  the  Lord,  and  lift  up  our  hearts  with  our  hands  unto  God 
in  the  heavens." 

2dly.  Let  the  dreadful  judgments  inflicted  upon  other 
nations  for  their  crimes,  alarm  and  excite  us  to  repentance. 
— Behold  the  whole  world  destroyed  by  water;  and  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah  consumed  by  fire,  and  tremble  ! — Read  the 
histories  of  Nineveh,  Babylon,  and  Jerusalem,  and  take  the 
alarm  !  Nineveh  and  Babylon  were  once  the  greatest  cities 
in  the  world,  and  were  considered  impregnable  ;  yet  when 
the  measure  of  their  iniquities  was  filled  up,  God  gave  them 
over  to  total  and  awful  destruction.  Jerusalem  was  often 
besieged  and  taken  ;  so  dreadful  too  was  the  situation  of  the 
inhabitants  at  some  of  the  sieges,  as  the  scriptures  had  pre- 
dicted,— that  mothers,  forgetting  maternal  ties  and  affection, 
eat  their  own  children.  Josephus,  the  famous  Jewish  his- 
torian records  the  fulfilment  of  this  and  several  other  pre- 
dictions. 

One  very  affecting  instance  he  relates  with  its  circum- 
stances— "  A  woman  distinguished  by  birth  and  wealth,  af- 
ter she  had  been  plundered  of  all  her  provisions,  boiled  her 
own  sucking  child,  eat  part  of  it,  and  concealed  the  rest, 
reserving  it  for  another  meal."  He  farther  states  that,  "  wo- 
men snatched  the  food  out  of  the  very  mouths  of  their  hus- 
bands, sons  out  of  the  mouths  of  their  fathers,  and  mothers 
put  of  the  mouths  of  their  infants."  When  Jerusalem  was 
besieged  by  the  Romans,  it  presented  scenes,  within  and 


21 

without,  the  most  horrible.  Within,  the  streets  and  the 
houses  were  filled  with  thousands  perishing  by  famine  and 
by  faction.  "Without,  five  hundred  were  crucified  every 
day  till  room  was  not  to  be  had  for  the  erection  of  crosses, 
nor  cou'd  timber  be  procured  to  make  them.  At  length 
the  city  was  taken  and  plundered,  and  the  whole  of  the  citi- 
zens were  either  destroyed  or  carried  away  captive  into  dif- 
ferent nations  of  the  world.  During  the  siege  one  million 
and  one  hundred  thousand  were  distroyed.  To  this  day 
the  Jews,  sifted  thro'  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  wofully 
degraded,  are  awful  monuments  of  the  wrath  of  God.  It  is 
therefore  "  a  fearful  thing  for  nations  ai  well  as  individuals  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God.  Let  us  then,  least  the 
same  awful  judgments  befal  us,  take  warning  and  repent, 
and  turn  unto  the  Lord. 

Lastly?  the  evil  times  predicted  in  the  scriptures,  but 
yet  to  come  upon  the  world,  should  arrest  our  attention,  ex- 
cite our  fear,  and  constrain  us  to  repent. 

Be  assured,  times  fraught  with  every  temporal  CVlI? 
which  is  dreadful  to  man — times,  that  will  make  the  stout- 
est heart  faint,  and  boldest  face  pale,  are  coming,  yea  fast 
coming,  nay  perhaps  they  have  already  commenced  ;  and 
therefore  will  be  experienced  by  us  and  our  children  !  Na- 
tion shall  be  dashed  against  nation.  God  will  overturn,  over- 
turn, and  overturn,  till  he  come,  whose  right  it  is  to  reign, 
and  establish  his  kingdom  over  the  whole  earth.  The 
sword,  the  sword  is  drawn  for  the  slaughter,  it  is  furbished 
to  consume  and  punish  the  nations  for  their  wickedness,  for 
the  blood  of  the  saints. 

Let  us  hear  a  few  of  the  Divine  predictions  on  this  sub- 
ject ;  and  whilst  we  hear,  let  us  tremble.  This  is  God's  ad- 
dress to  the  prophet  Ezekiel — "  Therefore  son  of  man  pro- 
phecy and  say  unto  Gog,  thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  in  that 
day,  when  my  people  of  Israel  dwelleth  in  safety,  shalt  thou 
not  know  it?  And  thou  shalt  come,  thou  and  many  people 
with  thee,  all  of  them  riding  upon  horses,  a  great  company 
and  a  mighty  army,  against  my  people  Israel,  as  a  cloud  to 
cover  the  land  ;  it  shall  be  in  the  latter  days.     And  it  shall 


22 

come  to  pass  at  the  same  time,  when  Gog  shall  come  against 
the  land  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  God,  that  my  fury  shall 
come  up  in  my  face.  For  in  my  jealousy,  and  in  the  fury 
of  my  wrath  have  I  spoken,  surely  in  that  day  their  shali  be 
a  great  shaking  in  the  land  of  Israel  ;  so  that  the  fishes  of 
the  sea,  the  fowls  of  the  Heaven,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field 
and  all  creeping  things,  that  creep  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
and  all  the  men  that  are  on  the  face  of  the  earth  shali  shake 
at  my  presence  ;  and  the  mountains  shall  be  thrown  down, 
and  the  steep  places  shall  fall,  and  every  wall  shall  fall  to 
the  ground.  And  I  will  call  for  a  sword  against  him  through- 
out all  my  mountains,  saith  the  Lord  God  :  every  man's 
sword  shall  be  against  his  brother.  And  I  will  plead  against 
him  with  pestilence  and  blood  ;  and  I  will  rain  upon  him, 
and  upon  his  lands,  and  upon  the  many  people,  that  are 
with  him,  an  overflowing  rain,  and  great  hail  stones,  fire 
and  brimstone.  I  will  give  thee  unto  the  ravenous  birds  of 
every  sort,  and  to  the  beasts  of  the  field  to  be  devoured." 

So  numerous  shall  the  armies  be,  which  shall  be  de- 
stroyed, that  the  scriptures  state,  that  the  implements  of 
war  shall  serve  the  inhabitants  of  the  adjacent  cities  for  fuel 
seven  years ;  and  men  shall  be  employed  seven  months  in 
burying  the  bones  of  the  dead.  Daniel  records  that  "there 
shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there 
was  a  nation,  even  to  that  same  time."  In  the  revelation  by 
John,  we  read,  "  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  up- 
on the  seat  of  the  beast  ;  and  his  kingdom  was  full  of  dark- 
ness ;  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues  with  pain.  And  the 
seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  into  the  air,  and  there  was 
voices  and  thunders  and  lightenings  ;  and  there  was  a  great 
earthquake,  such  as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  the  earth, 
so  mighty  &  so  great  an.  earthquake.  And  the  great  city  was 
divided  into  three  parts,  and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell ; 
and  every  Island  fled  away,  and  the  mountains  were  not 
found.  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  heaven, 
every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a  talent."  And  it  is  said  of 
majestic  Babylon,  "that  her  plagues  shall  come  in  one  day, 
death,  and  mourning,  and  famine  :  and  she  shall  be  utterly 
burnt  up  with  fire.  The  kings  of  the  earth  shall  bewail  her 
and  lament  for  her>  when  they  shall  see  the  smoke  of  her 


23 

burning.  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  weep  and 
mourn  over  her  ;  for  no  man  buyeth  their  merchandize  any 
more.  They  shall  stand  afar  off,  for  the  fear  of  her  tor- 
ment, weeping  and  Availing,  and  saying,  Alas,  alas  1" 

The  same  John  also  records,  that "  he  saw  an  angel  stand- 
ing in  the  sea ;  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying  to  all 
the  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  come  and  gather 
yourselves  together  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God  ;  that 
ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and 
the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them 
that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  bond  and  free, 
small  and  great."  He  saw  also  an  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle 
into  the  earth,  and  he  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and 
cast  it  into  the  wine  press  of  the  wrath  of  God.  And  the 
wine  press  was  trodden  without  the  city,  and  blood  came  out 
of  the  wine  press  even  unto  the  horse  bridles,  by  the  space 
of  a  thousand  and  six  hundred  furlongs." 

Are  such  evil  times  yet  to  come  upon  the  world,  and 
is  it  probable  they  wilr  be  cotemporary  with  us,  or  at  least 
with  our  children  ?  Certainly  then  our  attention  ought  to  be 
seriously  arrested,  and  our  most  anxious  alarm  excited. 
Whether  these  evils  shall  be  experienced  in  their  greatest 
heighth  in  America  God  only  knows.  In  the  old  world  they 
certainly  shall.  The  cry  of  the  blood  of  the  Martyrs  which 
has  often  stained  the  earth  there,  has  gone  up  before  the 
throne  of  God.  The  cry  of  any  human  blood  is  dreadful ; 
the  cry  of  the  blood  of  the  saints  hath  rent  the  heavens. 
Did  the  cry  of  the  blood  of  Abel  set  a  mark  upon  Crin,  and 
shall  not  the  cry  of  that  of  millions  of  Abels  rnaik  out  that 
nation  for  destruction,  where  their  blood  has  flowed  in 
streams. 

Thanks  be  to  God,  that  this  land  has  not  yet  incurred 
such  accumulated,  such  crimson  guilt  !  We  have,  hoAve- 
ver,  incurred  great  guilt ;  and  the  only  way  by  which  Ave 
can  expect  to  escape  the  great  distress  of  those  evil  times, 
is  to  press  down  the  cloud  of  our  sins,  and  prevent  it  from 
ascending  to  heaver  :  Let  us  not  put  our  tiust  in  physical 
nor  artificial  strength  ;  in  the  multitude  of  our  armed  men, 


24 

nor  in  the  strength  of  our  fortifications,  nor  in  the  aid  of  fo- 
reign alliances ;  but  in  the  favor  of  God,  and  the  protection 
of  Omnipotence  : — and  let  us  not  presume  upon  these,  ex- 
cept we  repent.  Jerusalem  thought  as  she  was  called  the 
city  of  God,  was  in  herself  strong,  and  had  powerful  allies, 
she  should  still  be  safe  :  Her  alliances,  however,  became 
her  snare  :  She  trusted  in  the  aid  of  nations,  rather  than  in 
God  ;  was  polluted  with  their  irreligion  and  vices,  and  there- 
fore the  Almighty,  being  still  more  provok'd,  cut  her  off" 
from  the  face  of  the  earth.  If  ever  a  city  had  reason  to  con- 
sider herself  safe,  Nineveh  had ;  the  wall  that  surrounded 
her  was  200  feet  high,  and  so  thick  that  three  chariots  a- 
breast  might  have  been  driven  along  the  top ;  on  the  wall 
were  1500  towers,  each  200  feet  high  ;  she  possessed  incal- 
culable wealth;  had  numerous  and  powerful  armies  of  her 
own,  and  was  aided  by  numerous  and  formidable  allies  ;  yet 
the  judgment  of  Heaven  being  upon  her  on  account  of  her 
sins,  she  was  destroyed,  apparently  with  ease,  and  so  totally 
demolished,  that  even- her  site- cannot  be  ascertained. 

*>i  •;..>.  •.•  .-..<•    v  • 

How  vain,  then  is  it  to  depend  upon  physical  or  artifi- 
cial strength  for  safety  !  How  absurd  to  put  confidence  in 
allies  !  In  proportion  as  they  are  guilty,  they  will  be  pu- 
nished ;  and  in  proportion  as  nations  are  connected,  in  the 
same  proportion  the  punishment  experienced  by  one,  will 
by  its  vibrations  convulse  the  other.  Let  us  as  a  nation, 
put  our  whole  dependence  in  that  God,  who  sways  the 
sceptre  of  worlds  ! — and  if  we,  in  this  new  world,  would  es- 
cape the  awful  convulsions  now  experienced,  and  yet  much 
more  severely  to  be  felt  by  the  old  world,  Let  us  search  and 
try  our  ways,  and  turn  again  to  the  Lord.  Let  us  lift  up.  our 
heart  with  our  hands  unto  God  in  the  Heavens. 

And  now  may  God  who  hath  hitherto  protected  us,  and 
who  hath  the  hearts  of  all  men  in  his  hands,  dispose  us  to 
repent  of  our  national  guilt;  and  may  he,  in  his  great  good- 
ness, keep  us  free  from  external  violence  and  internal  con- 
vulsions ;  and  forever  avert  from  us  the  dreadful  judgments 
yet  to  be  poured  out  upon  the  nations  of  the  earth.  And 
to  his  adorable  name  be  ascribed  all  the  glory,  and  all  the 
praise.     Amen,  and  Amen. 


